Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!ubc-cs!van-bc!unifax!sl
From: sl@unifax.UUCP (Stuart Lynne)
Newsgroups: can.general
Subject: Unix Review Subscriptions
Message-ID: <116@unifax.UUCP>
Date: 10 May 89 01:17:34 GMT
Organization: Wimsey Associates, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Lines: 55

A copy of a letter forwarded to beast!editor, the address for Unix Review.
It is a comment on their policy of offerring Free Qualified Subscriptions to
US residents only, while soliciting advertising from Canadian Unix companies
with the same zeal that they pursue American companies.

If anyone wants to comment on this I will be happy to summarize and forward.
Although you could also directly mail your comments to beast!editor.

Gentlemen:

For the past few years I have maintained a subscription to your magazine. I
now find that you are perpetuating a fraud on me as a Canadian subscriber.

Specifically that you offer a free qualified subscription to your readers in
the US but not in Canada. So that you not only charge more for the so called
subscription in Canada ($52 US vs $45), but you don't charge *anything* for
a large number of your US readers.

I don't know whether I would qualify if I lived in the US, but I can say
that I do qualify for at least four other industry newspapers and magazines.

I am also now in the position of directing the advertising for a new Unix
product. I must choose between yourselves, Unix World, and Unix Today. 

Unix World seems to have good distribution. No free subscriptions, but
easily available at news stands. 

Unix Today also seems to have good distribution. Free qualified subscriptions to
anyone in North America.

I personally would like to continue to receive your magazine, but at over $5
per copy, I can't justify it. I will admit that your editorial content is
slightly better than the others (even though you have dropped your interview
section, one of the better parts of your magazine). I suspect that my
decision to not continue a subscription will be mirrored by most of your
Canadian readers. The cost cannot be justified. There is simply too much
other adequate sources of information at lower cost (Unix World at $3
Cdn/copy at the news stand, Unix Today - free, Usenet - free).

As an advertiser who wants to ensure that we have adequate coverage in
Canada - I find that I cannot believe that your magazine will give it too
me.

Can you give me any reasons that might change my mind? 
Why should we advertise in your magazine?

I am also posting this letter to can.general on Usenet. And will solicit
replies on what other potential Canadian readers have to say on this topic.

-- 
Stuart.Lynne@wimsey.bc.ca uunet!van-bc!sl 604-937-7532(voice) 604-939-4768(fax)
Unifax Business Communications Ltd. Vancouver, BC, Canada

-- 
Stuart.Lynne@wimsey.bc.ca uunet!van-bc!sl 604-937-7532(voice) 604-939-4768(fax)